Exceptional Wines from Sustainable VineyardsExceptional Wines from Sustainable Vineyards

Growing Sustainable Vineyards

SStephen and Prue Henschke, fi fth-generation winemaking family, are working toward sustainability in their vineyards using organic and biodynamic principles. By working with the local natural environment and nature’s cycles, they are fi nding more natural alternatives to the energy-intensive

fertilisers and pesticides to protect and enrich the land. Since 1990, the Decade of Landcare, Prue has used the benefi ts of mulching and compost to preserve soil moisture and in building the health of the soil. As testament to her dedication to these principles, she won the Advantage SA Sustainability award for the Barossa Region in 2010.

Balance has been restored to Henschke land with the replanting of original grasslands, woodlands and forests to 30% of the family’s total landholdings. In the vineyards, Prue’s work includes an inspiring ‘nursery program’ on Mount Edelstone and Hill of Grace commenced in 1986 to identify the best of the centenarian vines, with descendants planted to preserve this precious genetic heritage.

Accolades continue to fl ow and in November 2010, Henschke was named 2011 Winery of the Year at the inaugural The Age/Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine Guide awards. As recently as May 2011, Prue was honoured at the 2011 InStyle and Audi Women of Style Awards, winning the ‘Environment’ category. Of her award, Kerrie McCallum, editor of InStyle, said, “Prue’s methods and dedication to creating a better environment make her a true ambassador of style. For the past 20 years, she has worked to make the Henschke vineyards more sustainable whilst continuing to produce great wines recognised the world over. This win is testament to her tireless efforts in protecting the land for the next generation.”

As a follow up, in July 2011 Henschke was inducted into the Family Business Association of Australia (SA) Hall of Fame to celebrate the contribution the family has made to South Australia.

They are foundation members of Australia’s First Families of Wine, a unique initiative to showcase Australia’s heritage, passion and winemaking skill to the world. Australia has some of the oldest surviving winemaking families now moving into their sixth generation, and some of the oldest vineyards in the world, with vines over 100 years old, from own-rooted pre-phylloxera plantings, growing on the oldest soils in the world, over 500 million years old.

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Organics and Biodynamics

TThe grapevine is an extraordinary plant. The winegrape cultivars we recognise today refl ect a wide range of climate adaptability - grenache loves the heat and pinot noir produces its exotic fl avours in a cooler temperate climate. To produce the vivid varietal fl avours, the vines need healthy soils to survive by buffering them against the extremes of summer.

Along with the minerals and water making up the physical part of the soil, organic matter and soil microbial activity are major players in the health of the soil and both are at risk from excessive cultivation and high levels of fertiliser. The inclusion of biodynamic principles in our vineyard management gives a twofold benefi t - replacement of inorganic fertilisers with compost and the end of using herbicides. It incorporates the cyclic nature of our farm - from the manure of the cows and the eggshells from the chooks, to the recycling of our grape marc to produce compost, which in turn produces great wine.

The infl uence of the moon cycles has always been a familiar feature - Hill of Grace is always picked just before the full moon of Easter and Mount Edelstone a week or so after. Throw in nectar providing local native plants to help with pest and disease control and we have a garden of earthly delights - a food chain that replaces pest control.

The next few pages take you through the steps of making the biodynamic preparations, putting them out in the vineyard at the best times of the season, usually when the humidity builds up on a descending moon roughly on a monthly basis. Application of compost is on a three-yearly cycle and the covering of Triticale wheat straw mulch holds in the soil moisture and helps soil microbes, worms and fungi work the compost into the soil.

We see the nourishing of our land as a tool to connect between healthy soils and healthy people. We want to tread as lightly as possible on our land, land that is our home, our peace, our nourishment, pleasure and future.

Prue Henschke

Biodynamics Astro Calendar Biodynamics Astro Calendar showing the phases of the moon showing the phases of the moon and planets.and planets. Cow manure collection from cow Cow manure collection from cow

paddocks at Eden Valley.paddocks at Eden Valley.Eggshells collected from our own hens.Eggshells collected from our own hens.

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Cow pat pit, made in an old Cow pat pit, made in an old barrel cut in half, buried in the barrel cut in half, buried in the ground and filled with aerated cow ground and filled with aerated cow manure and ground eggshells.manure and ground eggshells.

Preparations 502, 503, 504, 505 and Preparations 502, 503, 504, 505 and 506 packed into Horn Manure balls 506 packed into Horn Manure balls and inserted into cow manure plus and inserted into cow manure plus Valerian vortex stirred for 1 hour and Valerian vortex stirred for 1 hour and poured over pit contents.poured over pit contents.

Glazed pottery pots used for storage of Glazed pottery pots used for storage of composted cow manure.composted cow manure.

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Flowform for aeration of Combined Flowform for aeration of Combined Cow Preparation, 500–Composted Cow Preparation, 500–Composted Cow Pat, Horn Manure, Horn Clay Cow Pat, Horn Manure, Horn Clay and 508 (Casuarina Brew).and 508 (Casuarina Brew).

Spraying of 500 after 3pm with Red Spraying of 500 after 3pm with Red Beetle tank behind quad bike, on a Beetle tank behind quad bike, on a descending moon.descending moon.

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Spraying of 501 at dawn.Spraying of 501 at dawn.

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Compost heap construction – straw base with aeration frame, layers of Compost heap construction – straw base with aeration frame, layers of carbohydrate material (grape stalks), fresh cow manure, nitrogenous carbohydrate material (grape stalks), fresh cow manure, nitrogenous material (grapeskins), lime and rock dust covered with a layer of straw material (grapeskins), lime and rock dust covered with a layer of straw and finished off with preparations in Horn Manure balls and sprinkled and finished off with preparations in Horn Manure balls and sprinkled with vortex-stirred Valerian.with vortex-stirred Valerian. Application of compost undervine Application of compost undervine

at 100mat 100m3/ha using compost spreader /ha using compost spreader and covered with straw mulch.and covered with straw mulch.6–8 week fermentation and turned for further fermentation and 6–8 week fermentation and turned for further fermentation and

breakdown/humus formation for 8 – 12 months.breakdown/humus formation for 8 – 12 months.

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Casuarina stems for 508 compost teaCasuarina stems for 508 compost tea

Use of permanent swards of native Use of permanent swards of native Wallaby grasses and other grasses Wallaby grasses and other grasses (perennial rye and cocksfoot) (perennial rye and cocksfoot) to protect and build up organic to protect and build up organic matter in mid-row soil.matter in mid-row soil.

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Worms help break down the compost. Worms help break down the compost.

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Use of native nectar providing plants in and around vineyard to feed Use of native nectar providing plants in and around vineyard to feed beneficial insects for predation on pests such as Light Brown Apple Moth. beneficial insects for predation on pests such as Light Brown Apple Moth. Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) planted at ends of rows and Lomandra Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) planted at ends of rows and Lomandra in the row – all part of Ecosystem Services system in the vineyard.in the row – all part of Ecosystem Services system in the vineyard.

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JOSEPH HILL GEWÜRZTRAMINERLENSWOOD CROFT CHARDONNAYLENSWOOD GREEN’S HILL RIESLINGLENSWOOD BLANC DE NOIRLENSWOOD ABBOTTS PRAYERMOUNT EDELSTONE SHIRAZCYRIL HENSCHKE CABERNET SAUVIGNONHILL OF ROSESHILL OF GRACELENSWOOD GILES PINOT NOIR

WINES GROWN BIODYNAMICALLY

CELLAR DOOR AND WINERYCELLAR DOOR AND WINERY

C A HENSCHKE & COC A HENSCHKE & CO

Henschke Road, Keyneton Henschke Road, Keyneton South Australia 5353South Australia 5353Telephone (08) 8564 8223Telephone (08) 8564 8223Facsimile (08) 8564 8294Facsimile (08) 8564 8294Email Email info@henschke.com.auinfo@henschke.com.auWebsite Website www.henschke.com.au www.henschke.com.au

OPENING TIMESOPENING TIMES

Monday to Friday 9am - 4.30pmMonday to Friday 9am - 4.30pmSaturday 9am - 12 noonSaturday 9am - 12 noonPublic Holidays 10am - 3pmPublic Holidays 10am - 3pmClosed Sunday, New Year’s DayClosed Sunday, New Year’s DayGood Friday and Christmas DayGood Friday and Christmas Day

EDEN VALLEY VINEYARDSEDEN VALLEY VINEYARDS

TO ADELAIDETO ADELAIDE90KM (via Nuriootpa)90KM (via Nuriootpa)

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Hill of Grace Hill of Grace VineyardVineyard

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